Just Want to Be a Slacker

"I never thought—are you joking?"

"On the first day of school, Chabashira-sensei, you said there's nothing in this school that points can't buy. If that's the case, then midterm exam scores are also an item, so there's no reason they can't be purchased."

"I see, I see. That line of thinking isn't impossible. However, you might not be able to afford the price."

"Name your price."

"The three of them have a total of fifteen points across all their failing subjects. The price per point... let's see, how about ten thousand Private Points? If you pay one point five million Private Points on the spot, they won't have to drop out. If you can't pay, then the agreement between you and them might not hold."

One point five million?

Even if all of Class D's current assets were pooled together, they probably couldn't scrape together that many points.

Involuntarily, all the students turned their eyes to Kamio Tatsuya, hoping he could think of something.

"Who do you think you're looking down on? A mere one point five million Private Points."

With that, Kamio Tatsuya pulled out his phone, directly pulled up Chabashira Sae's contact info, and transferred her one point five million Private Points.

At this point, there was no need to pretend to be a good person anymore.

Seeing the points on her phone, Chabashira Sae smiled.

"The one point five million points have been received. Sudo, Yamauchi, and Ike—your expulsions are voided."

Voided, not revoked. The art of language!

Yamauchi and the other two were still in a daze, as if everything that just happened was a dream.

And while the other students questioned Kamio Tatsuya's massive point holdings, no one dared to speak up and ask at that moment.

"I'll bring the contract over after the next class."

It wasn't until Chabashira-sensei reminded them that the three remembered they still had a Scapegoat Contract to sign.

"No, this is unfair! Why does a mere one point five million buy out our futures?"

After escaping the crisis of expulsion, Yamauchi immediately started shouting, planning to renege on the deal.

A mere one point five million?

You probably couldn't even earn one point five million in three years at this school. How do you have the nerve to say something like that?

Yamauchi's idiotic outburst filled the Class D students' gazes toward him with disgust.

Chabashira Sae just glanced at him and said flatly, "If you don't plan to sign, then drop out immediately."

That shut him up instantly. He didn't say another word, but the look he shot Kamio Tatsuya was full of resentment.

Heh, this kid has no clue about the situation.

He still dares to look at me like that? Doesn't he know his life is in my hands? What an idiot!

Whatever, not worth arguing with a scapegoat.

Chapter 64: Smile, Why Aren't You Smiling? Don't You Like To?

Looking at the contract in his hand, Kamio Tatsuya was very satisfied.

Even though he'd lost one point five million Private Points, gaining three scapegoats made him feel like this deal was a huge win.

But that didn't mean he'd run wild just because he had three scapegoats. After all, some red lines, once crossed, even scapegoats couldn't save you.

Since this was done in front of the entire Class D, there were far too many witnesses. Some people just couldn't keep their mouths shut, so news spread quickly.

In Class A, after Sakayanagi Arisu learned of this news, she felt nothing but admiration. Then she turned to Kamuro Masumi, who was walking with her.

"Kamuro-san, go kill Kamio-kun."

"What?" Kamuro Masumi bristled. "How could I possibly do something like that? Are you joking?"

"If you use your feminine wiles, I'm sure he'll take the bait. Then even a scapegoat won't help him." Sakayanagi's face was full of teasing.

"If you want a beating, just say so."

Kamuro Masumi's expression turned very hostile.

"Hehe, just kidding."

Sakayanagi turned her head and continued walking forward, while thinking to herself: He's so capable, I wonder if he's noticed anything.

In Class B, most students reacted like this: "Using a classmate as a scapegoat—that's just too much."

In Class C, Ryuen's face twisted when he heard the news.

This bastard was already hard to deal with, and now he's got three extra lives? Who the hell can take him down?

If only someone like that were in the same class...

Maybe I can try working through those three lives.

Ryuen sank into thought.

Back with Class D's Failing Group, after dodging the expulsion crisis, the Three Fools gathered after school in Ayanokoji's room for a small Celebration Party.

"Cheers!"

Besides Ayanokoji himself, the Three Fools, Horikita, and Kushida were also there. Ayanokoji was currently staring speechlessly at the Three Fools messing around on the tatami mats.

"I don't mind you guys throwing a celebration party, but why does it have to be in my room?"

Not only were they occupying his room without permission, but these guys had even secretly copied his key card—that was just too much.

"Hey hey, don't sweat the small stuff. We made it through the exam, right?" Ike said cheerfully.

"That's all thanks to you, Horikita. You really helped Ike and the others study," Kushida chimed in from the side.

"It wasn't my doing." Horikita closed the book she was reading and gave a self-deprecating smile. "In truth, I couldn't do anything. If Kamio hadn't seen through the rules, the three of them would probably have been expelled already."

At the mention of Kamio Tatsuya's name, Ike and Yamauchi immediately stopped smiling.

"What's the deal? That guy just spent one point five million points to control our fate—what kind of classmate is that?"

"Yeah, seriously, what kind of classmate acts like that?"

Ike and Yamauchi kept complaining, while Sudo stayed silent.

Even though he might end up taking Kamio Tatsuya's place and getting expelled later, regardless of Kamio Tatsuya's motives, the fact was that he had saved them this time.

So he couldn't bring himself to badmouth Kamio Tatsuya behind his back.

"I'd advise you to treat Kamio better."

Hearing Ike and Yamauchi's grumbling, Horikita warned them.

"Huh?"

"Why should we?"

"Because he holds your fate in his hands. Even though he said he won't act in a way that puts himself at risk of expulsion.

But with his ability, can you tell whether he's doing something on purpose or by accident? If you piss him off, he definitely wouldn't mind making one of you three get expelled first."

After Horikita Suzune explained the reasoning, the two of them immediately shut up.

That actually made sense.

With Ike and Yamauchi's ruckus gone, and the previous topic being a bit heavy, the room fell into a temporary silence.

"Forget it, let's not talk about that guy. Anyway, the important thing is that no one got expelled this time—cheers to that!"

Ike picked up his drink again and clinked cans with Sudo and Yamauchi.

"Don't celebrate too early. Next month is the Final Exam, and I expect the difficulty will be even higher than this time."

"A hellish study session is starting again? That sucks."

Ike fell to the floor in despair, clutching his head.

"This time I'll be strictly supervising you. I won't let you end up in an expulsion crisis for the same reason again. Prepare yourselves."

Horikita looked at them coldly.

"Ah, give me a break!"

Seeing Horikita so fired up, Kushida's smile was a bit strained.

Maybe it was because he'd gained three scapegoats, but Kamio Tatsuya couldn't sleep.

Getting out of bed, Kamio Tatsuya habitually opened the fridge to grab a drink, only to find it completely empty.

With no other choice, he changed clothes and headed downstairs to buy something from the vending machine.

After buying a can of almond milk from the vending machine, Kamio Tatsuya planned to drink it and then go straight back to sleep.

Almonds are rich in magnesium, which helps relieve muscle tension and nerve excitement, aiding sleep.

But just as he was about to pull the tab, he saw Kushida Kikyo walk out of the dormitory building.

Kushida Kikyo?

What's she doing out this late?

Kushida Kikyo—someone determined to be friends with everyone, extremely popular among the First Years—but Kamio Tatsuya felt she wasn't as harmless as she appeared on the surface.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been placed in Class D.

For the sake of his own peaceful life in the future, Kamio Tatsuya felt he needed to uncover the secrets Kushida Kikyo was hiding.

And today was his chance.

After waiting for Kushida to leave, Kamio Tatsuya quietly followed her until she stopped by the school's artificial lake.

Seeing her posture, Kamio Tatsuya's heart jumped.

Damn, was she thinking of jumping into the lake out of despair?

After all, these past few days she'd been dealing with those two idiots Ike and Yamauchi almost every day, still putting on a smiling face—could the stress have gotten to her?

Just as Kamio Tatsuya was considering whether to step in and stop her—

Kushida Kikyo acted.

Bang!

"I'm so sick of it! Just because she's cute, she thinks she can get away with anything!"

Bang! Bang!

"Annoying! Annoying! Annoying!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

What the hell was that?

Kamio Tatsuya blinked. Holy shit, it looked like he'd stumbled onto something huge. Better record this.

Still, he breathed a small sigh of relief. So that was it—this was the true nature you'd been hiding?

Interesting.

After venting her frustration, Kushida let out a long breath, her body seeming to relax slightly.

"So that's it. This is the real you?"

Kushida, who had just been loosening up, froze on the spot, as if time itself had stopped for her.

Chapter 65—Vicious, Too Vicious!

Her entire body stiff, Kushida turned her head and saw Kamio Tatsuya drinking almond milk.

"Why are you here?"

"I followed you when you came over, obviously."

"You... saw?"

Watching Kushida Kikyo's face darken, Kamio Tatsuya felt today's haul was pretty good.

"If you're talking about you kicking the railing while cursing Horikita, then yes, I saw it clearly."

Kamio Tatsuya took a sip of his almond milk, finding the taste exceptionally sweet.

At times like this, it wasn't the flavor that mattered—it was the seasoning.

"Honestly, I was shocked too. I knew you had secrets, but I never expected them to be this kind of secret."